My Beloved Keeper
by joan.lili88
Summary: Cordelia Keeper has a secret and a mission. In a world of darkness, she is yet to fulfil an old prophecy, which could bring peace among men and beasts. But he's a pure blood and she ... the member of a well-known vampire hunter clan.
1. The Trial Part 1

_**My Beloved Keeper**_

**Ch. 1. Trial Part 1**

_House of darkness,_

_House of sin._

_Through your judgment_

_Lives shall sink_

_Into darkness and despair,_

_When your word of sentence's said._

It was a gloomy night, a night of horror and betrayal, a night of shed blood. The moon was hidden behind the clouds. How could she stand by, how could she witness such a terrible crime, a crime that not even the heavens could stand. A roar was heard into the deep of the night … the shrieks of beasts … the crying and the pleading of an exiled people.

_The House of Judgment._

"Today, November the 13th, the year of our Lord 1313, the man known as John Luca Keeper, was called in front of The Council of the Seven Piles, under the indictment of treason against the people of God and allegiance with the ones called Beasts of Darkness", the words resounded into the Great Hall of Judgment, as the people made way for the accused to pass.

John Luca Keeper was a man in his early fifties, a wretched man, as the signs of imprisonment were clearly noticeable on his body. He was taken as prisoner two days prior to his trial, and although he was the head of one of the prestigious families in The Great Kingdom, he wasn't treated different from any other criminals. In fact he was treated much worse. He was tortured beyond his darkest dreams, he who was born with the duty of dealing with the Kingdom's '_sensitive_' problems; inducing pain, torturing his enemies has been his existence almost for all his life, that is until he discovered that the darkness has its shades of light, and that the beasts wear different masks.

_This was the judgment of man, the judgment of his brothers and sisters, of the ones who called themselves The People of God._

"The prisoner is asked to take stand!", one of the guard said, and John obeyed. It was strange that he still found himself in that underdog position, after swearing never to comply to their demands again. A life of freedom, that's what he wished for. No, not that…just a life. A life for himself and for everyone who was worthy to walk the ground, no matter what form they wore. So he dragged himself to the stand, surrounded by the curses and the howls of the men occupying the hall. He thought how terribly meanly he must look, and what a pain for the eye he must be and was happy he didn't have to see himself in that condition.

_A noble man has fallen._

"Sir Keeper do you understand the charges that are being brought to you?", the Head of The Council of the Seven Piles asked him with a rather mockingly look.

"I regretfully inform you, that I do not understand. You see there have been a devilish couple of days, and as you might notice from the condition I appeared in front of you, I am a tide bit tired. I'm afraid my brains won't work to their full capacity today so I apologize upfront for any ambiguous explanations that I am to present myself to you in this blissful day." The crowd burst into an uproar at the criminal's disrespectful answer, the words "heresy", "devil" and "beast" were heard, and the poor man had to come under the guards protection as the crowd swooped upon him like a sly snake upon a poor mouse.

_The predator has become the pray._

The violent men and women were finally calmed down by the words of the Council. "That was hardly necessarily, John" the Head spoke once more.

"Really? Than you should tell me how to speak properly, Walter, or perhaps you should imprison me. Perhaps the laws have changed since last I read the Code, and now irony is against the law…"

"That's enough, John, you don't understand the gravity of the situation you are in. You know very well that treason is a crime punished by death."

"Treason? And what do…"

"Silence!", Sir Keeper's words were interrupted by the harsh command of one of the other members of the Council. He was awful young for such a high position, but that couldn't be helped. The position in the Council was transmitted through blood. Reginald was the son of the late Sir Uriah of Ember, who died a year and a half ago due to a severe pneumonia, and his son inherited his "chair" as one would say. "The prisoner is advised to keep his tongue and only answer to the questions he is asked." Keeper was a bit taken aback, especially that he knew the youngster. He taught him how to ride when he was no higher that a garden fence, and know this very slip of a boy dares to order him when to speak and when not to.

"I guess respect is only ranked by your position. Such big words, from a boy terrified to mount a horse."

The youngster's face grew so red that he could easily put a shy girl to shame, and wanted to protest but he was stopped by the words of Sir Walter of Innisroar "There's no need for such peevish words. We are all men here after all."

"Men? Yes, indeed men we all are" came Keepers slightly ironical response.

"Sir Walter you can not accept such a behavior. Even the most sly of criminals knows that he should keep his mouth shot when he is in front of the Council. And yet you allow this…"

"Be quiet, Reginald!", the head's words came harsher than he intended, and Reginald could nothing but obey. True, he was a member of the Council, but he lack experience. And everyone knows that nothing in life goes according to rules. And sometimes the same rules set for the better conduct of the people must be broken in order to establish the desired peace.

"Sir Keeper", now an incredibly thin old lady, also a member of the Council, spoke "It has been brought to our attention that you are responsible for some activities that according to our Code are considered illegal. I advise you admit your crimes. If you state the truth, God will grand you a much lighter punishment when you would have crossed over."

"Oh, now I'm relieved. Since God himself told you that I will not suffer as much if I confess, I guess that would be best, would it not? You are after all the spiritual authority in this Kingdom. In whose hands could we put our souls if not in yours?".

"Blasphemy!"

"Hang him!"

"A devil should not walk the ground!"

"Order! Order!" commanded the Head of the Council, but his words were in vain. The crowd grew violent by the minute. The guards could hardly keep them under control. Hell broke loose in that place of judgment and a dark blanket of raging clouds covered the sky.

"Head Walter, the crowd can't be contained anymore. I'm afraid that at this time a public trial is no longer possible. We must go on with closed doors.", one of the other members of the Council spoke, as their eyes were headed towards the chaos that overcome the Hall. And in that overwhelming madness rose the figure of Sir Keeper; and such a serene look he wore, and such a calmness his body gave off that he appeared like an angel lost in the chasm of hell. _"What are you up to, John?"_ the Head asked himself. "Get the people out of here. We have to finish this tonight. I can't have him poison the minds of the people."

The guards set off…the people were taken out…the hall was cleared.

_In stood the judge…in stood the accused._


	2. The Trial Part 2

**Ch. 2 The Trial Part 2**

"Well, well! What an uproar you have caused Sir Keeper! You must be very pleased with yourself." The words were spoken by a middle aged man. He was quit chubby, a proof that he really enjoyed without limits the life of the high society. Though the words were meant as an insult Keeper didn't take them to heart. "Sir Milton, ever so healthy I presume?"

"Right! Let's end this once and for all" the skinny woman who spoke before, Lady Shelter, said while she was retrieving a stack of papers from a locked steel safe. The members of the Council set in their designated places while Keeper assumed his previous seat in the accused stand. Silence settled in the Hall of Judgment, but the howls of the people outside could still penetrate the old stained building. Every man inside the Hall stopped breathing for a moment … every member of the Council …. every guard …. Keeper … they all lost themselves in that dazzling mixture of silence and horrible shrieks, as if they were at the limit of heaven and hell.

"On the day of September the 15th, the year of our Lord 1292 , you received an order from our Majesty, to take care of a business in the Releigh county, is that correct? "

"Business is a bit impersonal, won't you think? It's not business when people's lives are involved."

"How dare you associate those beasts with human beings?! That's outrageous! We should hang you here and now. This remark is enough to ensure you a safe path on the road of no return."

"That's enough, William. We are here to find out what exactly happened during that mission. As the records show, that was the last mission you undertook before you broke all contacts with the Royal Division. Is that right?"

"Since it stands written in black and white, I can only say it is. After all we are men and sincerity, loyalty, and trust are the values upon which we built our society, is it not?"

"Sir Keeper, I think you have gone far enough with your mockings."

"Perhaps it would be better, if you would explain to us what happened on that day."

"I thought the report says it all?"

"My dear John, we are both men with dirty hands. We have done awful things for the sake of our Queen , our people and our kingdom. And we both know very well that they must know only the amount of truth they can stand. So why don't you tell us the truth that we can't stand."

Keeper's eyes fell to the ground. He laid there thinking for a while, lost in his memories, so detached from the world outside that the Head called his name tree times before he was brought back into the real world.

"Yes, I think you are ready to hear the truth, not that it matters anyway. After all treason is a crime punished by death. But you should know that I am not guilty of betraying my country, nor the queen nor the people. I am guilty of betraying your values, your rules, my rules, the same damn rules that have govern my existence and that have prevented me from seeing the truth. On that dreadful night the truth was revealed to me and I have become aware of my shameful and pitiful condition. I was called by her Majesty on a very important matter. The prime-minister had some troubles that unfortunately for him and for the Queen, they were about to be revealed to the world. While he was at his country mansion in the Releigh County he laid eyes on a young woman…"

"A Beast woman, you mean."

"Fine, if you wish, a Beast woman, a vampire. She wasn't a pure-blood, not even a noble, but a normal vampire. Her beauty took over the prime-minister and he couldn't resist anymore and took her by force."

"That demon used her magic to through a spell upon the prime minister…"

"I thought you wanted to hear the truth, Sir Walter"

"Yes, of course, carry on."

"He imprisoned her and used her as he pleased. So it was no wonder when she became pregnant with his child. I was sent to take care of this trouble, and to ensure that the secret remains locked behind that mansion's doors. When I arrived in the Releigh county the poor being…."

"The Beast."

"…was already in three months pregnant. My God the condition she was in, I've never seen something so demeaning, so horrible. The fact that a man was able to do that was almost unbearable. I had to get out for a couple of minutes to gain my control. I returned with the strong conviction to end it as quickly as possible. After all it was her Majesty's order. I ordered every one to clear out the room until only she and I remained. I was about to cut her throat when she said", his eyes fell to the ground, tears rolling down his face, "_You came here to kill a being that has no fault for the sins its parents committed, one can only wonder who the man is and who the Beast?_", her deep fiery eyes looked at me with anger and fear, and than touching her womb she said in a soft voice "_I would have loved him, this seed of violence, this seed of fear, this seed of evil; I would have loved him, my dear son_" and with that she threw herself on her knees in the hands of her executioner. How could this creature not hate the thing that was growing inside of her, how could this creature be so human, and how could I be such a demon. I realized that what we vanquished from our world so long ago, that the things we feared most, were no worst than me and you. We are all capable of perverse things, of disgusting crimes, of hate, of rage, of thoughtless actions, but", his face lit and a sincere smile came across his face, he rose "we all are capable of love, of kindness, of compassion and understanding."

"Sir Keeper to compare us with those blood-sucking beings is an outrageous thing that can not be forgiven!" sir Walter said in an angry ton.

"As long as you won't get pass that, you won't come to see the extraordinary things they are capable of. I took the girl in, I took care of her, and I learnt of her gentle nature. She has become my companion, and I quickly learnt to care for her. She died during the birth, she and the child. It was in that moment that I decided to brake myself free from the Royal Division, from the Queen, and from the people. I fled to the mountains until I received your order, at the moment I came back. And that's the whole story."

"It seems that on this journey of self-discovering, you also learnt to lie to the Council, isn't that right Sir Keeper?", a tall and slightly skinny man came in wearing a dark cloak and the insignia of a white lily on his chest.

"The visitor is requested to step out, as this is no longer a public trial."

"I was send here by our Majesty, delivering some important information.

"And your name is?"

"My name is of no importance, for I bear the royal seal", the man with the dark cloak said addressing the Head a letter embodied with the royal seal.

"Since is our Majesty's order, please state what you know in this matter."

"Sir Keeper stated only a part of the truth. He omitted a couple of small details. After the vampire's death he indeed fled to the mountains but not in search of solitude. But in search for allies for he planned a war against the Kingdom. And so he did, didn't you"

Sir Keeper remained silent. His eyes stuck to the ground, trying to hold on to it like it represented his only escape.

"I didn't know you were a man of such few words, Sir Keeper. Well anyway, he did managed to achieve his goal, for in the depths of the Auror mountains he formed an allegiance of men and beasts. A sinful act. An act against God. Where lays the colony you have built? Where lays Ther A Reh?"

Sir Keeper smirked "I didn't think my secret would come out so soon. But surely you don't think of me as an idiot. Ther A Reh will remain hidden until its time will come to be revealed to the world. The people are not ready. But rest ashore their time will come. Well the ones they despised the most will be the ones they need the most."

"Sir Keeper, the Queen is ready to forgive your betrayal and grant you your freedom if you tell us where the colony is situated."

"You know I have come here fully aware of the fact that this will be the last road I shall ever pass on. I have already made peace with the fact that tonight I shall die."

"Trust me that until we'll find out the truth, you shall be kept alive."

"I didn't say that I shall die by your…hand", as he uttered the words his feet became numb and he fell to the ground "Somebody call a doctor"….his vision became dark, blood began filling up his langue to the point in which he could no longer breath …"We must keep him alive, he is the only one that can tell us the location of the Ther A Reh!"

"There is still hope for our children, still hope that peace will exist", with that he drew his last breath. A noble man has fallen in the arms of his executioners. The blood was shed.

"My lords, we have to find out the location of the colony."

"Without sir Keeper, there's no one to rule them."

"You do not understand. A prophecy has been made."

"What prophecy?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Send out the riders. Bring every member of Sir Keeper's family here. We can't afford to waste any more time. None of them must survive."

"But, Head Walter. You' re talking about killing innocent people."

"Sir Reginald , in times of war, we must bring sacrifices. What we do is for the better existence of our own kind. You above all should understand us."

"What are we going to tell to the people, Sir", a guard asked him.

"Nothing. Cut the prisoner's head and show it to the people. The sentence was given."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

In the dark of the night a small wrecked carriage approached a deserted house in the middle of a tangled forest. None knew of the precious treasure it carried. None knew of the burden that that man carrying it undertook, of the danger he put himself into.

" Thank heavens you've arrived safely," out stood a young noble vampire. "We worried that something went wrong. Did you bring her? Is she safe?

The owner of the carriage stepped outside holding tightly in his arms the figure of a young girl. "Here. Bring her to a safe location.", he said while the young vampire took the child into his arms. "You're going back? What if they found out that you are one of us? If they discover that you betrayed them than…"

"Than I shall receive my righteous punishment."

The two men stood there still. "Such a peaceful night. " the man turned and looked at the small sleepy figure in the vampire's arms. "So much depends on your blood-line. So much depends on your successors. Hurry up and grow. We need your strength." He placed a kiss on the child's forehead "I'm sorry. No one should deserve such a fate", than he turned to the carriage and stepped in "I can't come here anymore, Charles, it's not safe. I can put you all in danger. Take the girl and flee to some place not even I know of. Farewell and raise her properly. I'm putting all my trust in you. May our ancestors forgive us for the blood we shed today."

"Take care!", the young vampire said as the carriage began to move. He stood there until he could no longer hear the steps of the horses, only the mild wind blowing through the trees cut the silence that was tearing him about.

"Does the Council suspect anything?" another figure appeared in the doorway. The one of a much older vampire.

"Let's pray they don't."


	3. Facts

**A/N **Hi guys, sorry for the delay. So, chapter 3 is finally up. Hope you enjoy it.

**Ch. 3 Facts**

Present Times

"Come on, the mansion is the size of the Great Canyon, a hundred servants and no one there to pick up the phone!"

"Howard residence." A voice was heard at the other end of the line, a brittle almost dull voice, that of a girl, that the man actually stopped breathing for a minute to hear her.

"Finally! Yes, I would like to speak with my daughter, please, if it's not too much trouble to you."

"And who is your daughter?"

"Is this a joke?! My daughter? My daughter is Cordelia Keeper."

"And your name sir?"

"You have got to be kidding me?! How long have you been working there?"

"But sir?" The poor girl was on the verge of bursting into tears at the man's sudden rage. She was new at the mansion and she was still getting accustomed to the way things worked around there. "Sir, I need to…"

"It's alright, Kate," a middle aged vampire said while approaching the maid, "I'll take care of this. Please go and help Martha to make breakfast while I'll talk with the gentleman."

"Yes, my Lord", the maid handed the telephone receiver to her superior and went to help in the kitchen as she was told, but not after apologizing to him for how seemed to look as five minutes. The vampire, now alone in the guest hall, took a huge intake of breath while lifting up the phone to his ear.

"Yagari, so early in the morning!"

The man on the other side suddenly stopped babbling, "It's seven o'clock in the evening, you low-life."

"Tush, so cranky."

"I want to speak with my daughter, Charley."

"It's Charles, if you don't mind"

"Charley…it regards a very important matter."

"I'm sorry Yagari, but Cordelia is taking a shower at this moment. You can wait or you can call later. But, pardon my intrusion, what is the matter concerning?"

Yagari hesitated for a moment, not knowing for sure, if he should tell him or not. He despised vampires, but he admitted to himself that he had to deal with the fact that his daughter , although a human, had to share her life with the beasts of darkness. He hated himself for allowing that, but it was her mother's dying wish. Cordelia was special after all, as her mother, Reiko, was when she was alive.

"She received an order of enlistment from the Vampire Hunter Associations. She has to be there by next Monday morning. I'm sorry. I tried everything to keep her out of this, but I can't do it anymore."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Did you send out the order of enlistment?" A sixty year old man asked as he was investigating the content of a small box in search of a good cigar to enjoy.

"Yes. Mr. Yagari. Though I'm not sure what you're up to. Your grand-daughter has been listed as not fitting the conditions to become a vampire hunter. Her body is too weak. I don't see what's the point in calling her in."

The Yagari house was well-known in the vampires and hunters world. It was one of the most famous vampire hunter clans in the world with a history for over a thousand years. The head of the house, Takato Yagari, was Touga Yagari's father. He was a grisly man, a bigoted man and there was nothing in the world he hated more than vampires. He had two more children beside Touga, a daughter and a son, the youngest of the family, but they died while on a mission. Touga Yagari was the only successor of the clan, and since he didn't have an intention of getting married too soon, his daughter Cordelia, was the only hope for their succession. "It is a personal matter, if you don't mind. My son dared to take the only successor of the Yagari clan away from me. I will not let the family's name die with him. I don't care if she's weak. I'll train her and make sure she becomes the greatest vampire hunter that ever walked the ground."

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"I thought you would be happy to see your father." The middle aged man said to the girl next to him in the plain…destination: Japan. Although he was about forty-five in human years, he still looked rather young. His hair was light brown and his eyes were green. He wore glasses though he didn't need them. Being a business-man forced him to have a certain appearance, and glasses, he thought, made him look more business-like. He wore black leather gloves, not because he suffered from some kind of disease, or because he had a hand fetish, but because he was trying to hide a sign, the symbol of his mission, of his cause… the guilt spur of the Keeper house. He branded it onto his skin when he was young and exalted by youthful restlessness and that strong desire to make a difference, to fight for the right cause as most people are during the spring of their lives. Not long after he discovered that life can't be led by dreams and expectations alone; one has to fight to accomplish that he longs for. And for the peace between man and vampire, he has been fighting for the past thousand years. Of course, there were times in which he wished he didn't have to bear such a burden, but than he thought that who could if not him? And besides, this job had some advantages. He had the honor of spending time with the lovely lady, now sitting next to him.

"Cordelia? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just that…" Cordelia was of course happy to see her father, though their relationship was far from normal. They didn't have that close buddy-buddy relationship that other girls had with their fathers, and that was all her fault. It wasn't always like that tough. When she was a little girl they were very close, despite their "sensitive" situation. When she found out about her family's past, about her legacy and her predetermined faith her behavior changed. Since than she hardly laughed anymore, she soon began to fell of from everyone and everything, until she drew back in her own little world. They tried practically everything to help her out from that condition, but it was in vain, for she never talked about what bothered her. Her father loved her, he cherished the ground she walked on, she had no doubt about that. And precisely that fact was what was driving her crazy. She despised him for loving her. How could he do that after she bereft him of the one single and pure thing in his life? She had killed her. She had killed her mother. And she could never forgive herself for doing that.

"I have the strange feeling that something's not right. Why would my father ask me to fly to Japan? It's too sudden. We usually plan these things in advance. Something's wrong. I just know it."

Cordelia looked outside the window. The sun was rising at the horizon like a giant pill of steaming lava preparing to mop up everything in its way. How could people, for thousands of years, praise that giant god of destruction? If it were up to her, she would have praised the moon, the glittering pearl in that sea of darkness we call the night. Its blissful light brought tranquility and peace in her world. People always said that evil hides in the dark, but she disagreed. She believed that evil hides in the daylight where no one would expect it to be. Sometimes we find the best of things in the darkest of places, in the most abominable situations. We just don't care to look. That's why we lose up on things in life.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia, but you will have to wait to speak with your father."

How sad and awful she looked at that moment, like a poor girl who was robbed of her favorite doll or her favorite candy. He wished he could help her; he wished he could say something comforting to her, but she built up a wall around her that he could not overthrow and he feared that soon enough she would be swollen within. The near thought of something bad happening to her hurt so awfully that he had to rise from his seat and leave her. He couldn't lose Cordelia, not because she was the one he had to protect, but because she was precious to him, the very air he breathed, because inside her she carried a split of the one he loved.

"No…" He shook his head. He wouldn't do that. He promised himself he wouldn't think of her anymore. Cordelia was Reiko's daughter, not Reiko herself. He turned around and went back to his seat. Cordelia was still looking outside her window and he wondered if she even noticed him gone. He hated to see her in that state, so detached from the outside world, so lifeless, just like a ghost. He remembered the times the mansion was filled with her laughter of joy, how she sometimes played pranks on the servants, but most of all he remembered her compassion, love and understanding towards everyone regardless if they were men or vampires. That didn't matter to her. The concept of discrimination was foreign to her. Than something changed a few years back, something that he couldn't find the cause for and the mansion grew stiff once again. He looked at her. He didn't know what exactly about her reminded him of her mother, because her outside appearance looked just like that of her father's. People always said that girls looked like their fathers and boys like their mothers, but the sameness between those two was almost surreal. Her skin complexion was paler than that of her father, but that was because she, a human, lived the life of a vampire. She rarely had the occasion of spending the day in the sun; well with them anyway; but the way she's been acting lately , nothing about her could come as a surprise anymore. Her eyes were of a deep blue, like one often sees in those crystal clear waters in the Carribbean. Her hair was the same color as the one of her father, black with shades of blue and slightly curly. It came down just under her shoulders like a cascade. Yes, she looked exactly like her father, but her personality: the way she acted, what she thought, the way she felt, those were the things that reminded the vampire of Reiko. She had that same passion in her eyes, that same laughter and joy encrypted on her face, the same strong will, courage and honor. That is until she changed.

"I've always been waiting; waiting to be born; waiting to grow up; wasting my life just because I could be the one to fulfill a stupid ancient prophecy."

Cordelia's face grew angry. He had never seen her like that. She was always so calm and quiet that one would have thought that nothing was going on in her life. And yet there she laid, next to him, a lady on the verge of bursting. She had so many feelings bottled up.

"Why shouldn't I be happy? Why shouldn't I have the right to choose my own path in life?"

Tears were rolling down her face and the image of her in such a pitiful condition, made the vampire's heart twitch. He laid a hand on her forehead and brought her closer to his chest in a tight and warm embrace.

"You should get some sleep." And with that she fell limb into his arms. He had never done that. He had never erased her memories, but some thoughts, some situations are too gloomy for a person to endure.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Yagari's house wasn't nearly as big as the mansion, it was in fact quite small, but nevertheless comfortable. It laid by a lake just outside a forest, stranded in an oasis of vegetation. No other house was in sight though it wasn't far from the city. This was the house that he and Reiko shared during the two years they were together. And no one, not even his family, not even Zero knew about it.

When Charles arrived at the house, they both let Cordelia sleep in. The way she has been acting lately and the amount of pressure she went through, she needed a rest. So they set her in her room.

"You can surely see the crux of the situation. When Cordelia was born, I swore myself I would keep her out of this cursed part of my life. You know very well how much we've been through to convince the Association that her physical condition is too frail for her to become a vampire hunter. If she were to do that she could put herself and the Association in danger. I haven't had any summon from that day, and I don't understand why they would call her in now. I doubt they ran short on hunters."

Charles wasn't really paying that much attention as to what Yagari was saying. He was busy studying the landscape beyond the guestroom's window. It was in the afternoon and the sun had already began its submerge in the vast unknown.

"You have got quite a place set up here, Yagari. Reiko's choice, I presume."

Yagari's face twisted. How could he pronounce her name so casually? But he refrained himself from saying some inappropriate remarks, for Reiko's sake and her affection towards the vampire.

"Did you even heard a word I said?"

"Don't you think it's strange how fast the Association got on its feet after it had almost perished with its president's downfall?


	4. Ignorance is Bliss

**A/N Hi guys, sorry for the late update. I just had a lot of stuff to take care of. Well, anyway here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. And thanks for taking the time to read it. Enjoy.**

**Ch. 4 Ignorance is bliss**

"Sir Walter of Innisroar, Sir William Dashlake, Sir Ulrich von Dunkelberg, Lady Corinne Shelter, Sir Alexander Milton, Lady Mary Joan Parker, Sir Reginald of Ember."

Yagari was holding a small parchment in his hands. The names were written with a fountain pen. It looked fancy and important and he knew deep inside that those names should mean something to him, he was aware that he had to know them, but he was too lofty to let the vampire that handed him the sealed piece of paper and was now standing in front of him with a questionable look on his face, know.

"So?" He glossed over handing the parchment back to Charles making sure to roll it into its original position. "What about it?"

"You don't know? Didn't Reiko say anything to you about her family's past?"

Silence set in like a veil of mist. It was amassing how the mere mentioning of her name could cause such a sudden change. Both men lowered their faces, and it would have been obvious to anyone witnessing that they were deep in thoughts. It was true, and Yagari had to admit it, that Reiko didn't talk much about her family. In fact when he first met her he thought she was an orphan. Never did she mention having any relatives. And he didn't press the point. He thought that perhaps she wouldn't be comfortable talking about it, or maybe she was trying to hide something and he was fine with that. He only had eyes for her and her alone. Her past or family heritage didn't matter to him. He was satisfied with being her lover even if it was for a brief time.

Finally one of them broke the silence. But the moment was all the more awkward since they both knew what the other person had just thought about. Yagari should have been angry at the vampire who was now taking a seat on an armchair near a small library and slowly retracting a copy of Francois Rabelais' "Gargantua & Pantagruel" from a middle shelf. He should have decapitated him then and there for the mere fact that he dared to even look at her, but how could he. You can't take the feeling of loving someone away. He came to that conclusion when he met Reiko. And they didn't have what one would say, a promising start.

"Those are the names of the members of the Council of the Seven Piles. The Council of the Seven Piles was the one that judged Reiko's and Cordelia's ancestor John Luca Keeper and decapitated him. They will not rest until every member of the Keeper clan is death, until the blood line is broken."

"In case you don't know, they were humans. They wouldn't have survived for more than a thousand years."

Charles smirked. "It's their heritage. Their mission was transmitted through blood."

"Wait, are you saying that their successors are on the road of accomplishing a mission that was ordered in 1313?"

"Why look so surprised? You after all should understand that. As the number one vampire hunter in the world and the son of one of the greatest vampire hunters clan in history, you should know the great effort, loyalty and assiduity, that such a heritage enquires."

"Vampire … Hunter?"

The two men turned their heads towards the door, as the mellow voice of a confused girl reached their years. Cordelia was standing in the doorway; the bewilderment on her face was clearly noticeable to the audience in the now stiff room. She was wearing a white night gown that was coming just under her knees and she was holding on with her clenched fists to it as if trying to squeeze the pain she felt out of her body, out of her mind.

"Cordelia, plea…." Her father was trying to get closer to her, to comfort her as she definitely seemed lost. They have kept that a secret from her, the fact that the blood of a vampire hunter flew through her veins. That was wrong. Being who she was, she had to know the whole truth. She had to know the facts and to weight out the situations, to analyze the problems in an impartial way, knowing the entire truth. But they have betrayed her and now she wasn't sure anymore. What path should she choose? She laid there confused. Her eyes began to fill with tears. This was just too much for her to handle at that moment. And her father…

"Don't touch me!" she yelled in an angry ton. Yagari remained still. He didn't know how to react. She was in a dainty state. One wrong word and he could lose her forever.

"Don't touch me with your dirty hands!" She didn't even look at him, and the fact that so much hatred was bursting out of her could only make her father's heart twitch with pain. He has brought this upon himself. And sadly he couldn't do anything to make it right. Not at that moment anyway. Cordelia turned around. "I want to be alone." And she left the room.

"Don't take it to heart. You know she hasn't been herself lately. She'll snap out of it, eventually," came the comforting words of Charles, though he himself doubted the truthfulness of it. He was trying to reassure the desperate father, but deep inside he was worried to death. The situation Cordelia was in was far worse than he first thought. He feared that she might do something reckless. To be honest, he wasn't sure how she would react.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have kept this a secret from her."

"We shouldn't have kept this a secret from her."

………………………………………………………………………………………….

The sun had long set since the argument with her father and Cordelia was now in the solitude of her own room surrounded by the memories of a life that she, with time, came to regret. It was summer and outside one could easily distinguish the sounds of the crickets. It has been a hot day and she could still smell the almost unbearable heat that was now sinking into the ground. She wished she didn't learn the truth. What people said about the truth, how it can set you free, it was all nonsense. Ignorance is bliss. She would have been better of not knowing about her poisonous heritage. At least she felt better about hating her father. Up until then she found her despise of her father unjustified. He hated him for loving her…but not anymore. She could now hate him without feeling bad, without feeling guilty. He had lied to her. And if she hated anything in this world, it was liars.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Kaname, are you sure you are all right?"

"Yuuki, I've told you a thousand times I'm fine. You needn't worry." Kaname was standing in front of a large window in his room. The night has just begun not that it mattered anyway. He hasn't slept in four days. It was heartbreaking to see the one you love living happily with some other guy. It's been 2 months since Yuuki told him that she loved Zero and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She loved Kaname too, of course, but not in the manner one loves a lover, but how one loves a brother. And Kaname loved his sister to such a degree that he was willing to risk everything just to see her happy. Sure he was a pure blood and he had his pride, but out of love for Yuuki he refrained himself from pulverizing the white- hair vampire. That everyone was surprised at Kaname's actions is not even worth mentioning. Some thought he'd gone insane. Some believed that he was too kind hearted. But no one knew what the young vampire was going through. Not even Yuuki. So for two months he continued wondering through life with a normal face not giving the slightest hint that he wasn't all right, but inside… inside he was slowly dying. He lost all fate that he'll ever find love, that he'll ever be happy. For thousands of years he has been waiting for something to change in his life, for his fortune to change for the better, but now he was done with waiting, done with fighting, done with expecting something that will never come to him.

"Yuuki…I'm going to go for a walk. Don't wait up for me, I might be late. There's something I need to take care of." Kaname took his black coat and turned to leave the room, but not before placing a kiss on his sister's forehead. "_That's it. Just keep acting normal_" he said to himself. Zero was standing in the door way. At the sight of him, Kaname's inner begin to broil. He didn't show it though. He just looked at him with an expressionless face. As he passed by him on his way out he pretended as if he was no more than an ornament on the wall. How demeaning he felt, he Kaname Kuran, the ancestor of all vampires, has become the thrall of a low rank vampire. He indulged too much and he knew it, but he was ready to eat his pride for Yuuki's sake.

The city was awfully lively although it was past midnight. The streets were filled with couples some of them drunk, some of them sober. Some of them would arrive safe at home, and others will end up regretting the night. People acted so brutish sometimes, and Kaname could only grudge. They said vampires were beasts, but no one mentioned what happened to the human nature in the depth of the night, when no one's there to witness. If vampires were truly beasts then people were no better. Lust, passion and the thirst for violence governed their loves too. Why pretend they are something they are clearly not. Here he was a witness to the decay of human nature. Too bad no one knew who and what he was. He passed them by. The sight of them was making him sick. It was like they were giving off a nasty smell because he soon felt dizzy. The pressure he felt was so overwhelming that he needed to bear against a wall not to fall. People present started to make fun of him. They probably thought he was drunk as people always come to that conclusion when seeing a man barely standing. Yes, humans were indeed horrible sometimes.

"Are you all right?" the voice, the voice of an old woman, the harsh but in the same time tender voice of an old woman, and that presence "My…", the presence of something else, something different than the shadows now surrounding him, the presence of darkness "…Lord" and the smell of a beast.

"Vampire…" and with that last word uttered, Kaname felt to the ground. Nothingness. That's what he felt, that's what he saw, that's what he tasted. Nothingness. He needed it. He needed the rest. A rest from Yuuki, from Zero, from the world of vampires, a rest from everything. When he woke up he found himself in a foreign and queer place. The room was filled with strange objects: different herbs were hanging from the ceiling which gave the air surrounding a stifling smell. Amulets were spread throughout the room and the walls were filled with jars of parts of animals and different mixture of poisons. Kaname looked towards the door above which he could read "_May the spirits guide you_." He wanted to raise up except the headache he was now feeling was throwing arrows of unbearable pain through his entire body. The pain was so great that he suddenly felt the urge to throw up.

"Here. Drink!" the woman he saw earlier before he passed out came to him and gave him what seemed like a spinach mixture. It looked grouse, and tasted even worse. Normally he would have been defensive in these sorts of situations. He wouldn't trust her, let alone take the glass with the odd mixture filling and drink it. What he's been through in the last couple of months has drained him from his energy, and from his sanity, he had to admit.

"You don't seem like yourself…Kaname Kuran." Kaname raised his eyes to meet those of the vampire woman's. It came to a surprise that she knew his name although it shouldn't have. He was known throughout the vampire world. It seemed actually impossible for someone not to know him. But still "How do you know my name?"

The woman smirked "Feeling better?" and took the now empty glass from his hands. Kaname didn't even notice that he had drunk the entire glass. He had no idea when it started not to taste so bad, and despite himself he had to admit that he did feel a lot better. Magic no doubt about it.

"Yes, thank you. But that still doesn't answer my question."

"For someone who's lived for thousands of years you seem rather impatient. Very well then. After all you are a pure blood and I am your humble servant." The old vampire dragged herself to a chair near Kaname and sat down. Kaname found the condition she was in rather odd. Sure she wasn't a pure blood, but still she should be in a better shape, even at the advanced age she was in. She must have been through horrible things, but he didn't give the matter a second thought. He would not waste his time hearing the old woman's story. He looked back at her only to notice that she was looking insistently at him. She had that way of looking at people as if staring in their inner souls. Kaname felt a shiver going up his spine.

"You know, it's not polite to stare people that way."

The woman didn't even show the slightest sign of embarrassment. She just kept staring at him with her big purple eyes. He gave up scowling her and waited for her answers.

"My name is Mai Akiba and I'm what one would call a sorcerer, a voodoo witch actually as you can easily see from the room you're in now. It looks degrading for someone like me, but I'm pretty successful with the humans. You wouldn't believe how often they resort to magic in order to fix their problems. And yes, you're right, I've been through a lot, but I wouldn't like to trouble you with my boring life."

Kaname was stoned. Could she really read his mind. No, that would be impossible for a vampire as low-rank as her. She couldn't be higher than a Level C. "How did…."

"Does that surprise you? My strength isn't measured by my rank. I trained hard to earn the strength and the ability I now posses. The power of the mind is truly great if you learn how to guide it correctly."

"Than why does someone as strong as you live in a place like this?"

"Oh, this. Well, I rather enjoy my life in the mortal world. I like humans. I take them with their good and their bad shades. But truth be told I'm on a mission and as soon as that's accomplished I shall be released from my task and set free."

"What kind of mission?" Kaname became interested in the matter. He didn't know why. There was something about the woman, about the place or the circumstances they were in that just wouldn't put him to rest. He felt he had to find out more.

"You."

"Excuse me?"

"You are my mission. You see I'm able to see into one's being: past, present and future. Nothing remains hidden from my eye. Not even you."

Kaname started feeling nervous. A gloomy atmosphere rested in the room and he felt the change. Unnatural forces were at stake. He stood up and straighten his back although he still felt a little dizzy. He wouldn't let his guard down. He would be prepared in case she became aggressive.

"Your past is really amassing. Thousands of years you wondered the world to accomplish your dream of peace between men and vampires. But unfortunately for you, the world was not prepared for such a coexistence. So you were put to sleep after losing everything you cared for. Not long ago you were resurrected by Rido Kuran, but let's not dwell upon him. No need to open closed wounds. Yuuki has chosen Zero Kiryuu over you and you stand alone yet once again."

This was a trick Kaname thought. A trick he wasn't going to give in to.

"Everyone knows about that. If that is all…" Kaname was preparing to take his leave. He had enough of these mind games.

"_That's it. Just keep acting normal _Isn't that what you thought, when you kissed Yuuki on the forehead, when your heart broke into pieces yet again?_"_

How could she know about that. His most inner and private thoughts. This was too strange even for him to handle. He went back to take a seat on the couch. The pain was beginning to curl up in his head again. Maybe this was all just a bad dream, he thought. He would soon wake up. It was all just a dream.

"I know it's hard for you. Even the greatest of men need their rest. It's not over Kaname. Your path has just started. Don't worry, love will come for you and with it the fulfillment of your long lasting dream. But the real question is will you be able to get beyond appearances, to get beyond the tides of blood, beyond pride? Will you be able to love and spend eternity beside a human?"

Kaname burst into laughter. The old woman has surely lost her mind. Never mind the him loving a human a part, but could she actually believe that a human can live an eternity?

"Humans are mortals. Even humans that were turned into vampires can't survive for long. Are you aware of what you are saying?"

"This human we are talking about is not an ordinary one. She is very special as you will come to see. She bears just like you a blessing and a curse and her destiny was guided by the same goal as yours. You need her and she needs you. Together you can fulfill the dreams of so many, to pay for the blood of thousands who sacrificed themselves for the greater good. But you must overcome a great balk. You are too deep-rooted in the past. You must set yourself free."

"What do you know about my future?" Kaname asked with a devilish smirk.

"I know that soon enough you will come face to face with it." She turned his back at him and went to the window. The moon was shining like a giant fire beetle. The pure star that brings light into darkness. "It's an amassing feeling when you're released from a great burden. I trust you will choose the right path, but before I go there's something a need to show you, or better said…someone."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Heavy. His eyes felt heavy as if a tone of bricks were set on top of them…"Kaname?" Cries. Someone was crying. "Kaname?" That voice. It sounded so familiar. The poor thing. Why was she crying. That voice….

"Yuu-ki?"

Kaname opened his eyes only to met the tear-filled face of his sister. But why she was crying she couldn't understand. He felt tired as if he had worked days without a rest. He wanted to comfort Yuuki but for some reason he found it difficult to talk proper. Even the mentioning of her name has drained him of his energy.

"Kaname how are you feeling?"

A young vampire with blond hair was now standing beside Yuuki. "We were all so worried"

He didn't understand what they were saying, what they were talking about. Something bad has happened. Something he wasn't aware of.

"Wha…" he tried to speak but the words didn't seem to listen to him.

"Where were you Kaname?"

They were all acting so strange. Asking all those silly questions. He went for a walk the previous night just like he said he would. Nothing had happened, had it? His memories were blurry. He was trying so hard to remember what happened, but somehow he couldn't get over the scene with the couples in town. Yes the giggling couples … and the dizziness…that woman….she had done something.

"How…."

"Kaname," now Zero stepped in the room. Under normal circumstances he would have kicked him out but seeing the condition he was in he could hardly move a finger. "You've been gone for three days."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N **Hi guys! Sorry for the late update…I know, this took forever. I must apologize upfront; his chapter didn't turn out as good as I wanted it to be. I was trying a new technique and…well, it blew in my face. I still hope you enjoy it. Critiques are most welcomed) Enjoy!

**Ch. 5 Chaos**

It's been more than a year since the Rido incident, and a new order was established in the vampire world. But despite the promising forecast, there still were a lot of problems that needed being taken care off, and seeing that Kaname Kuran has taken control over the Vampire Council, the responsibility laid on his shoulders.

A lot of things changed. Everything from the rules imposed for the vampires to the most ordinary and insignificant details of their lives. But that couldn't be helped. The link between men and vampires grew thinner with each day and Kaname and the others were aware that there will soon be no trust among the both species to live in harmony.

Cross Academy got on its feet; the incident was taken care of and the students' memories erased. Newspapers talked about an underground gas explosion. Researchers were sent to inspect the area and stated that there was no more danger, the problem was solved so both Headmaster Cross and the government saw no reason in delaying the classes much longer. The students returned and not late after the damaged side of the academy was rebuilt. Things couldn't look better.

Of course, some time passed until the Night Class students returned since extra measures had to be taken to ensure yet again the co-existence between the both sides. And they couldn't be more excited about that. Even Kaname was happy seeing that his friends were too. And this was after all ground zero. If the peace at academy could last than it just might be a possibility for it to become a world-wide phenomena. Of, course time is needed for such a great goal to be achieved. Yes, everyone was happy to live their old lives again. Or at least, to live the illusion of that.

Since the betrayal of the old president, the Vampire Hunter Association finally collapsed. The world's governments decided that serious actions should be taken to make sure that such a thing never happens again. All the documents were checked up on, all vampire hunters inspected. Never in the history of both worlds, had the organization been held in such a tide leash. A new world order was about to settle in. An order that did not accept an abnormality from the rules.

This intensive inspection should have made things better, but it only made them much worse. Although a lot of vampire hunters would have been considered under normal circumstances as discordant, they were still kept on service. The reason for that could only be ranked by the new leadership's ignorance: a hunter for each vampire. Things were getting out of line. But no one protested. Further more, campaigns were run to enroll even more vampire hunters. These underwent an intensive training program and were ready within months to take on missions without a master's guidance. The ones in charge wanted to keep the vampires' society under control. Kaname's attack affected the association as well. And they would never let something like that to happen again.

Kaname could do nothing for the moment. He was still under surveillance for what he had done to their "puppet", Rido. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have accepted that, but the association said that the entire Night Class would be held responsible for what had happened, and Kaname couldn't do that to them. He was after all the one who dragged them into this mess to begin with.

He wasn't like the other pure-bloods. He didn't think himself superior and therefore he chose to bare the fault for his actions. The others knew nothing about his cooperation with the Vampire Hunter Associations and that was a good thing, Kaname thought. For God knows what they would have done to get him out of there. He could only smirk at the thought of how Aidou would react at hearing about that. The poor boy would probably stumble in in the association's building and risk being pulverized for his sake.

He hadn't expected such a turn. True, at first they were all pawns in his little plan. With time he came to appreciate them, to appreciate their efforts. He was extremely happy with having such good and loyal friends. He knew that no matter what decision he will take, they will support him one hundred percent.

"Kaname, though I don't know what the association's plans are regarding the events one year ago, I'm really content that they agreed for the academy to take its course again. And I must say I'm really happy you and the others came back." Kaien Cross was hanging a painting of a flower garden on the wall. He was almost done with decorating. The last past months were filled with bricks, and cement and concrete, parquetry, wood, furniture, paint and chandeliers that he couldn't even believe that he was finished with the entire work. There have been a few sleepless nights. Kaname would often found him working until the late hours of the night just to gain some progress. He really admired the headmaster for his devotion but he knew that no matter how much he would thank him for his help, or try to reward him, no reward was higher than having brought Yuuki back to school.

"Does it stand straight? What do you think?" Kaname was brought to the real world by the headmaster's question. It stood perfect, Kaname had to admit. It looked like nothing had changed; like the events from a year ago never happened.

"So, Yuuki told me of your little trip a few months ago. Care to talk about it?"

Kaname still didn't talk to anyone about what had happened. And how could he? He could hardly believe it himself. The truth of the fact was that not even a day had gone by without him thinking about it. "I just needed some time to think, that is all."

"They found you unconscious on a stray alley. How did you end up there anyway?" How did he? He couldn't remember. He remembered talking with that woman. Telling him about some old prophecy; about him falling in love with a vampire hunter and setting peace between men and vampires. Before vanishing she said she'll show him someone, but who he could not recollect. When he woke up he was already back at his mansion. For days he thought that everything was a dream until one day he found in the side pocket of the jacket, he wore that night, a letter, a letter with a seal on it and destined to Cordelia Keeper. He meant to open and read it several times, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt deep inside that he should bring it to the person whose name was written on the envelope, but he had no idea who she was or where to look for her. Nor did he know why. Maybe this was her. The human he was meant to fall in love with.

"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't feeling well and after wondering like that for three days without food or shelter, I collapsed."

"Kaname, you should take better care of yourself. That's why now you're going to go back to your room and get into bed."

"But…"

"And that's an order. I am the headmaster after all, and you are my precious student."

There was no point in arguing with him. He could be stubborn sometimes. So Kaname complied and returned to the dorm. Kaien was right. He needed some rest. This was all a bit too much for him to handle with what was going on and all.

Kaien knew that something else was bothering the young vampire. Something else besides politics. It must have been heartbreaking for him to see Yuuki with Zero ,after risking so much to protect her. His live for Yuuki will always consume him, and Kaien feared for his condition. There have been cases among the vampires where the ones whose love partner died, died themselves of broken heart not wanting to live on without their love. Kaname would never do that to Yuuki. He would never leave her all by herself, but still…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The alley was wet with fog on that small town by the see. It wasn't morning yet, so there was no human in sight. There was no sound but that of the waves hitting the rocks near the bank; and no light but that that the moon was casting. Small steps were heard in the distance but who should hear them? Who should watch his back in that long damned town? People have given up going outside in the middle of the night for fear of not being killed. A few mysterious crimes have disturbed the peace of that town. A few people have gone missing. Some of them were found with their throats slashed, others were forever lost. There was no hint as to who the killer could be and the people began to move out. The association got hold of the incident and decided to send a hunter to investigate the situation.

Cordelia was lost in thoughts. It's been almost four months since she joined the association. And it had been nothing like she expected. When she took the decision she did it recklessly and she knew it. She had done it out of revenge. They had lied to her and she couldn't accept that. When she told her father and Charles about her decision, they were both thunder-stricken. That, she admitted, was perhaps the only time when both of them were on the same terms. Yes, the idea was absurd. She, the one chosen to protect the vampires to go and hunt them. She, too, recognized the foolishness of the situation, but that was something she needed to experiment on her own.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"If you're going through with it then we need to get some things straight." Her father didn't even look at her when he spoke. He was about to send his only child in the lion's cage, how could he do it while looking her in the eyes. His voice was trembling and fortunately Charles got a hold of his plan and continued to talk in his place. "First of all you are never to mention the name Keeper when you're outside the house. It's too dangerous. Secondly you need to understand that when you were born, your father lied to the association that your body is too weak to carry the family's legacy so that you wouldn't get enrolled. They're going to make some tests on you and you'll undergo a heavy training program. Now, I know you're strong but when you're there you must seem weak. At first at least. And never show your real potential or else you'll raise suspicions. Thirdly," and Charles stopped for a moment as if trying to recollect his thoughts, then he turned around to where Yagari was "all hunters despise vampires, so" he swallowed "you need to act the same. Act like you really hate vampires from the bottom of your heart and show no mercy."

"Is that all?"

"Is that all? she asked" Charles was mesmerized. The flower he once saw in bloom has faded away. Who was she? Where was the girl he raised up, loved and protected for so many years? This girl standing at the door was not the one he knew. No. She was just another merciless, blood- thirsty indifferent vampire hunter, the very thing the both men have tried so hard to prevent her from becoming.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

When she arrived at the association's headquarters she was amazed by the building's impressive stature. She heard that after the incident with the former President from a year ago, the location has been moved but she didn't expected it to be this one. The building was built in a gothic style, and looked a lot like the Semper Opera house form the Bruhlsche Terasse. When Cordelia researched the area surrounding the headquarter she stumbled upon some interesting facts. The respective building belonged to a certain Sigfried Schwarz, a very well known psychologist not in terms of progressive medicine but rather in terms of tortures. Under the façade of an asylum, he conducted illegal experiments on his patients, experiments that, in the end, led to their death. When the authorities found out about the terrible crimes, they closed down the mental institution and the director, as irony would have it, was committed and found his end during an electrical shock therapy.

Sitting in front of the association's headquarter she could only appreciate the irony of all this. A bower for the mad and the delirious. And she was about to become its next pray. It wasn't like she knew nothing about them. After all it was her job to know. Charles always gave her reports to read and things to look into. She always treated them quiescent and never in her wildest dreams did she think that she, herself, would become one of them.

_She could feel it. The creature dwelling in the dark of the night. She could feel its anger, its grimness and its thirst for blood._

Takato Yagari was an impressive man; feared, respected, towering. She thought he had to be in his late fifties, though he looked much younger thanks to all the training he received during the years. He was wearing a brown suit; without doubt that he was a member of the board. He had an image to maintain. And seeing how much the association has went to grass and how much it has lost in credibility, he was needed, or better said his name was needed to show off the professionalism of the new order.

He received her with open arms; acted like they've known each other for ever; like they've just seen each other over for dinner last Saturday. Cordelia wanted to punch him, but she refrained herself from doing so. She decided she will grand him one chance.

"Cordelia, I'm mostly happy you are here. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you growing up. Your father didn't want for me to have any contact with you, but I hope this would be a chance for us to know each other better." He embraced her tightly, but Cordelia knew it wasn't an honest embrace. It wasn't warm and full of love like those from his father or from Charles did. She didn't give in. She wasn't nearly that naïve. People have always wanted something from her. Why would this be any different?

"I'm happy to be here too…grand-father."

The news of her arrival has spread faster than light. Every one was surprised to say the least, especially because no one knew that Yagari had a daughter. They wondered why he hid her for so long. As a member of one of the greatest vampire hunter clans in history she should have been active a long time ago. Suspicions grew in their hearts. Mistrust. And they began to look at her with sneaky eyes, almost expecting her to attack them.

"Maybe she's a spy for those blood-suckers?" One of the young hunters from a said after she passed by. He didn't whisper it, he wasn't trying to hide his annoyance. And Cordelia heard it. Normally she wouldn't accept somebody to talk that way about her, but she didn't protest. She didn't say anything, after all she promised Charles and her father that she would try hard not to be exposed. So, she moved on in the laughter and mocking of the others.

_The smell of blood was drawing nearer. Cordelia held still, listening to each sound, each movement, preparing herself for its attack. She felt its eyes upon her. She felt its desire to stick its fangs in her throat and to empty her from her blood. The pain. What pain those poor victims must have felt while agonizing after life. What horrible things they must have seen while drawing their last breaths. _

Charles was right. They despised vampires like nothing in the world. The time spent with them made her realize that she lived her life in complete ignorance. She had been to the other side, but now she wished she hadn't. It had destroyed her. It had destroyed the last piece of humanity she had left, the last piece of trust, of hope.

First time she killed a vampire she didn't felt anything; no sign of fear, nor remorse, nor anger. It was like a natural and perfectly normal action. No more complicated that breathing air, or drinking water. With time it became like a second nature to her. She didn't even have to use much of her strength. It was all so easy. She was making progress. She got better and better much to the satisfaction of her grand-father, so it was no surprise when she surpassed everyone and got on the top of the list. She was now better than her own father. Probably better that Cross, too. Yes, she was the pride and joy of the Yagari clan and the Vampire Hunter Association's likewise. The perfect hunter.

_What they must have felt when the last thing they saw was the red blood-thirsty eyes of a predator?_

She had lost herself. She had lost herself in that world of darkness and betrayal. They have lost her.

Not soon after she moved out from his father's house; out from the life she knew. She rented a small apartment in a bad neighborhood; the scum of the society, drug addicts, whores, winebibbers, reapers, men who abused their wives, men who abused their children, and murderers. Chaos. That was her world now. That' s who she was now.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Got you!" The predator jumped upon her. But it was the wrong meal, at the wrong hour of the night. With one blast it was pulverized. A second. That's all it took. A second. He didn't even have the chance to realize that its existence was over.

A crimson sun was raising at the horizon. The fog began to thaw. Voices were heard. Voices of humans. Laughter of children. The curse that brought their world in the pits of hell was lifted. They were granted a second chance.

Cordelia lowered her weapon.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N I promise the next chapter will be better. Thanks for taking the time to read it.


End file.
